Strongylides in Achatina(Lissachatina)fulica (Mollusca, Achatinidae) in Havana, Cuba / Strongylides in Achatina(Lissachatina)fulica (Mollusca, Achatinidae) in Havana, Cuba

ABSTRACT Achatina (Lissachatina) fulica was introduced in Cuba in 2014 for african religious purposes and nowadays, mainly by human activity, it is widespread all over the country and, where besides a general nuisance for people it is a pest and also a public health concern, since it is one of the natural intermediate host of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, ethiological agent of the meningoencephalitis. As in Havana is experiencing the explosive phase of the invasion, LABCEL has been receiving samples of these molluscs for identification and search for Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae. While examining samples of A. fulica different larvae were obtained, as strongylides found in the interior of the pallial cavity of A. fulica.This is the first report in San Miguel del Padron and Regla municipalities of the development of larvae in A. Fulica evidencing the health importance of this mollusc in the potential transmission of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. Since the spread of A. fulica is pointed out in the literature as one of the main causative spread of the meningoencephalitis caused by A. cantonensis the authors emphasize the need of sanitary vigilance of snails and rats from vulnerable areas for A. cantonensis introduction as the port side areas like these municipalities.

RESUMEN Achatina (Lissachatina) fulica se introdujo en Cuba en 2014 con fines religiosos africanos y hoy en día, principalmente por actividad humana, está muy extendida en todo el país y, además de una molestia general para las personas, es una plaga y también un problema de salud pública, ya que es uno de los huéspedes intermedios naturales de Angiostrongylus cantonensis, agente etiológico de la meningoencefalitis. Como en La Habana está experimentando la fase explosiva de la invasión, LABCEL ha estado recibiendo muestras de estos moluscos para su identificación y búsqueda de larvas de Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Mientras se examinaban muestras de A. fulica, se obtuvieron diferentes larvas, como strongylides encontrados en el interior de la cavidad paliar de A. fulica. Este es el primer informe en los municipios de San Miguel del Padrón y Regla sobre el desarrollo de larvas en A. Fulica evidenciando La importancia para la salud de este molusco en la transmisión potencial de la meningoencefalitis eosinofílica. Dado que la propagación de A. fulica se señala en la literatura como una de las principales causas de la meningoencefalitis causada por A. cantonensis, los autores enfatizan la necesidad de vigilancia sanitaria de caracoles y ratas de áreas vulnerables para la introducción de A. cantonensis como zonas de babor como estos municipios.

Neuroimmunological approach for evaluation of viral measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) triple vaccine

Introduction: During the neuroinflammatory processes there are a poly-specific and polyclonal activation in the cerebrospinal fluid. It means that there can be quantified antibodies against all the components of the vaccines may have received. Objective: To evaluate the immune response against measles, mumps and rubella in vaccinated pediatric patients. Methods: All the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) paired samples from pediatric patients with neurological symptoms, that were submitted to hospitals from Havana City and were performed a lumbar puncture, were collected. Serum and CSF IgG, albumin were measured by immune-diffusion techniques using NOR and LC Partigen Immunoplates (Siemens, Marburg) and specific antibodies against measles, mumps and rubella were quantified by ELISA kits (Enzygnost, Siemens, Marburg). Reibergrams were employed in order to determine if there was IgG intrathecal synthesis. Later on, antibody index against the specific virus were calculated. Results: In all the neuroimmune inflammation process were found antibody index against measles, mumps and rubella in a different ample confidence variation among the different virus. Antibodies against mumps are significantly different from the other ones. It could be due to a natural different immune response or due to a deficient vaccine quality lot. Also it was possible to identify six pediatric patients that had no immune antibody index at all. It coincides with a transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy in such patients. Conclusions: This neuroimmunological approach can be used to evaluate the immune status in pediatric population.

Introducción: Durante los procesos neuroinflamatorios se produce una activación poliespecífica y policlonal en el líquido cefalorraquídeo. Eso significa que pueden existir anticuerpos cuantificados contra todos los componentes de las vacunas que se reciban. Objetivo: Evaluar la respuesta inmune contra el sarampión, las paperas y la rubéola en pacientes pediátricos vacunados. Métodos: Se recogieron muestras pareadas de suero y líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR) de pacientes pediátricos con síntomas neurológicos mediante punciones lumbares realizadas en hospitales de Ciudad de La Habana. El IgG y la albúmina del suero y el LCR fueron medidos con técnicas de inmunodifusión usando inmunoplacas Partigen NOR y LC (Siemens, Marburgo). Los anticuerpos específicos contra el sarampión, la parotiditis y la rubéola se cuantificaron con dispositivos para ELISA (Enzygnost, Siemens, Marburgo). Se utilizaron reibergramas para determinar la presencia de síntesis intratecal de IgG. Seguidamente se calculó el índice de anticuerpos contra el virus específico. Resultados: En todos los procesos de inflamación neuroinmune se encontraron índices de anticuerpos contra el sarampión, la parotiditis y la rubéola con una variación amplia y diferente entre los distintos virus. Los anticuerpos contra la parotiditis son significativamente diferentes a los demás, lo que puede deberse a una respuesta inmune natural distinta o a una deficiente calidad de las vacunas. También fue posible identificar a seis pacientes pediátricos en los que no se observó ningún índice de anticuerpos inmunes, en coincidencia con la presencia de hipogammaglobulinemia transitoria infantil en esos pacientes. Conclusiones: El enfoque neuroinmunológico que se describe puede usarse para evaluar el estado inmunológico de la población pediátrica.

Becas de investigación QUINCKE: una experiencia pedagógica innovadora / Quincke's Research Scholarships: A Innovative Pedagogical Experience

Introducción: El perfeccionamiento de la sociedad cubana demanda nuevas formas de investigación y enseñanza acordes con la realidad nacional e internacional. Objetivo: Favorecer que los estudiantes de Ciencias Médicas se vinculen efectivamente a la investigación científica como protagonistas a partir de un curso de verano con carácter selectivo para estudiantes de pre y posgrado basado en los postulados de la ciencia abierta. Métodos: A partir de problemas como insuficiente aprovechamiento de LABCEL para el desarrollo de los estudiantes de medicina y su vinculación a planes de estudio, se asumió la dialéctica materialista como método general de la ciencia. Para las tareas de investigación se usaron los métodos del nivel teórico el histórico-lógico, análisis y síntesis, inducción-deducción, modelación con un enfoque de sistema junto a un análisis documental. En el nivel empírico el método fue la observación, la encuesta, la entrevista a directivos y el experimento pedagógico y la prueba pedagógica. Resultados: Se encontraron avalados por los premios obtenidos como el Premio Anual de Inmunología en la categoría docencia, y en los premios internacionales LURAP y IOP Award otorgado por la American Physiological Society los resultados de siete años de trabajo. Conclusiones: La experiencia de estos años de trabajo indica que esta modalidad de curso de verano a partir de la ciencia abierta es novedosa e innovadora(AU)

Introduction: The improvement of the Cuban society demands new research and teaching forms in accordance with national and international reality. Objective: To encourage students of medical sciences to become effectively involved in scientific research as protagonists, by means of a selective summer course for undergraduate and postgraduate students based on the principles of open science. Methods: We initially considered problems such as insufficient use of LABCEL for the progression of medical students and their connection with the syllabus, and then assumed the materialist dialectics as a general method of science. For the research tasks, the methods of the theoretical level were used, such as the historical-logical, analysis and synthesis, induction-deduction, and modeling with a system-related approach, together with documentary analysis. At the empirical level, the methods were observation, the survey, the interview with managers, the pedagogical experiment, and the pedagogical test. Results: The outcomes of seven years of work are supported by the prizes obtained, such as the Annual Immunology Award in the Teaching category, and by the international LURAP and IOP awards given by the American Physiological Society. Conclusions: The experience of these years of work indicates that this type of summer course based on open science is new and innovative(AU)

Vll Edition of Quincke´s Scholarship: Lecture Highlights

Introduction: Quincke´s Scholarship deals with themes related to neuroinmunology and the complement system. Objective: Describe the most recent advances of the Vll Edition of Quincke´s Scholarship. Methods: Publications pertaining to Quincke´s Scholarship were selected and revised from the work group of the Central Lab of Cerebrospinal fluid (LABCEL). Results: The principal topic was the C1q protein; initiator of the clasic complement pathway. From the analisis of the molecular concentration of this protein, its transference and the correlations between the concentration of C1q protein in cerebrospinal fluid (LCR) and the quotient of albumin (QAlb) between LCR and plasma it is hypothesized that an intratecal synthesis of the C1q in patients with a disfunction of the blood-brain barrier. The most recently discovered pathway in the activation of the complement is the lectin pathway. The diffusion of the MASP-3 protein from blood to LCR is proof that the MASP-3 is synthesized in the leptomeninges. The reibergram is useful to evaluate the inmune response in patients with: neurological manifestations caused by the dengue virus, and patients with multiple sclerosis. Conclusions: The Vll Edition of Quincke´s Scholarship dealt with C1q protein and recently discovered themes of the lectin pathway and the use of the reibergram(AU)

Kinetics-like equation for cerebrospinal fluid-blood diffusion models

Introduction: The diffusion of proteins from the blood to the cerebrospinal fluid is influenced by its molecular weight and by the intrinsic properties and biological properties of the protein. Methods: Paired samples of serum and cerebrospinal fluid were taken from normal subjects to quantify albumin and proteins of the lectin pathway of the complement system. The distribution of these with regard to the value of QAlbúmin = (Albumin in serum / albumin in cerebrospinal fluid) was evaluated because this protein is used as a marker of the passage of the barrier. Results: It was observed that some of these describe a saturation pattern which resembles the curves that describe the Michaelis-Menten reaction of enzymatic activity. This led to the consideration of two constants that will help to characterize the behavior of these proteins by spreading to the cerebrospinal fluid: the maximum Q of the protein, which is the maximum proportion found empirically between the concentrations in blood and cerebrospinal fluid and the value Kcdw which is the value of the average diffusion speed of Q albumin when the semi-maximal value of the Q of the protein under study is obtained. Conclusions: Empirically obtained constants will help the characterization and differentiation of the diffusion of these new proteins as they pass from the blood to the cerebrospinal fluid(AU)

Lectin pathway components and its transfer from blood to cerebrospinal fluid

Introduction: Defining mechanisms governing the diffusion from blood to cerebrospinal fluid is central to understanding immune function in the central nervous system. Objective: To describe the dynamics of diffusion of the lectin pathway components from blood to cerebrospinal fluid. Methods: It was organized the information available in PubMed database and of papers from journals, and abstract books from international congresses belongs mainly to Cuban authors all about the lectin pathway of complement including manan-binding lectin (MBL) and ficolins complexed with the MBL-associated serine proteases (MASP2), and of other components like MASP3, Map44 as regulatory components and the different starters like MBL, ficolins and CLLK. Results: All the lectin pathways component are blood derived proteins but at the same time it could be synthesized intrathecally. Most of the protein can be transferred from blood to cerebrospinal fluid in different aggregation forms and some of them can be described as a consuming curve. The control mechanism of regulation the lectin pathway can be followed by molecules as MASP3 and Map44. Conclusions: The under- constructed lectin pathway of the complement system required not only the available information in different journals. It had to be completed by reviewing the congress abstract book and congress website of the last years(AU)